A review of English translations of Shahnameh

Among the Persian poetry masterpieces, Shahnameh has a special importance. According to the available records, from the eighteenth century onwards, this work is among the first Persian books which have translated into English by different individuals. All of these translations have been welcomed by all of the scholars. Shahnameh translations can be studied in three categories. The first category aims to translate all the materials of this book in English. The second category aims to translate a summary of the Shahnameh and finally the third category is the translations of some popular monographs, such as Rustam and Sohrab. Given these facts, an accurate review of Shahnameh translations is very important in comparative studies. In this review we have introduced a brief but accurate list of English translations of Shahnameh, to show that the Persian national epic is one of the most influential literary works, which has a great influence on the European literature, especially on English literature, and has created a literary stream over three centuries in the Europe.

Keywords:

Ferdowsi , Shahnameh , Translation , English